Swivelly mounted physiotherapeutic instrument



March 8, 1960 H. SHERMAN 2,927,575

SWIVELLY MOUNTED PHYSIOTHERAPEUTIC INSTRUMENT Filed Aug. s. 1956INVENTOR HO ELL SHERMAN ATTORNEY United States Patent SWIVELLY MOUNTEDPHYSIOTHERAPEUTIC INSTRUMENT Howell Sherman, Fair Lawn, NJ.

Application August 9, 1956, Serial No. 603,014 4 Claims. (Cl. 12824)This invention pertains to the art of therapeutic instruments, and, inone of its more specific aspects, to swivelly mounting a physicaltherapy device to a support, such as a handle, whereby the device may beconveniently applied to and manually moved along selected human bodyareas of varying contour with minimum fatigue on the part of theoperator.

The apparatus of this invention has wide application. It is especiallyuseful for the purpose of handling and manipulating devices employed inthe treatment of various physical ailments with the aid of sound waveshaving frequencies substantially higher than those perceptible to thehuman ear. Such sound waves are commonly referred to in various branchesof the medical profession as ultrasound waves," or simply as ultrasound,and will be so designated hereinafter.

Modern ultarsound equipment consists of two basic units, namely anultrasound generator and an ultrasound transmitter. The transmitter isconnected to the generator by a relatively long, flexible conductorcable to permit the transmitter to be energized, moved and manipulated,as required. Treatment may be by direct contact of the transmitter withthe skin or by indirect contact, wherein the part of the body undergoingtreatment is immersed in a vessel containing warm water and thetransmitter is positioned within the water at a proper distance from thebody area concerned. The time for treatment depends on the nature of theailment and may vary from a fraction of a minute to fifteen minutes, orlonger.

It has neretoTore, been the pracfice for the operator to grip theultrasound transmitter directly or indirectly by means of a handle thatis rigidly secured thereto, and move the transmitter over the body areaunder treatment, continuously subjecting the transmitter to rectilinear,arcuate, or both rectilinear and arcuate motions during such movements.Due to the varying contour of the body and the necessity of maintainingproper contact between the transmitter and the area undergoingtreatment, manipulation of the transmitter has, in the past, requiredrepeated flexing and turning of the operators wrist. It will beappreciated that this causes undue and, at times, extreme muscularfatigue, particularly when the operator carries out a number ofsuccessive treatments of relatively long duration.

The apparatus of this invention reduces substantially the fatiguedifliculties experienced in the past in effectively manipulating thetransmitter over selected body areas. My apparatus permits movement ofthe transmitter rela tive to its handle about a pair of independentpivotal axes and in a manner that the operator may apply the transmitterand readily move it over various body areas without undue strain orpremature fatigue. The parts of the apparatus are so constructed andarranged that the transmitter is capable of conforming in its movementsto the contours of the body with minimum flexing and turning of theoperators wrist and arm.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide a physiotherapeuticinstrument that is swix elly mounted 2,927,575 Patented Mar. 8, 1960 ona support, such as a handle, in a manner that the instrument may beproperly applied to and moved over selected body areas of varyingcontour without undue strain or premature muscular fatigue on the partof the operator.

Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus of the characterindicated that is simple in design, sturdy in construction, reasonablein manufacturing cost and eflicient in operation.

The invention has for a further object the provision of aphysiotherapeutic instrument that is swivelly mounted on a support, theparts being so constructed and arranged that the instrument may beeasily and quickly connected to or disconnected from the support withoutthe use of tools.

The enumerated objects and other objects, together with the advantagesobtainable by the use of the apparatus of this invention, will bereadily understood by persons skilled in the art upon reference of thefollowing detailed description and the annexed drawing, whichrespectively describe and illustrate a preferred and recommendedapparatus embodying the invention.

In the drawing, wherein like reference numerals identify the same partsthroughout the several views:

Fig. l is a view in side elevation of apparatus constructed inaccordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus of Fig. 1, certain partsbeing shown in cross section for better illustration;

Fig. 3 is a view showing the ultrasound transmitter in front elevationbut disconnected from the coupling yoke;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is a view taken along line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

The illustrated apparatus consists of three principal units, namely, asupport 10, a coupling unit 11 and a physiotherapeutic instrument 12,each of which is described below.

Support 10 comprises a handle 13 that may be conveniently gripped in onehand by the operator. The handle is provided at one end with a blindbore 14 for reception of a connector rod 15 if it is desired to operatethe apparatus automatically by means of equipment of the characterdisclosed in my copending application Ser. No. 557,292, filed January 4,1956, and entitled Apparatus for Operating a PhysiotherapeuticInstrument or Other Device. The handle is adapted to be removablyattached to the rod by a set screw 16 having a wing head 17. The handleis provided at its other end with a tap 18 for reception of a shaft 20which is threaded at each end.

Coupling unit 11 comprises a generally U-shaped yoke 21 consisting of aweb 22, having a central opening 23 through which shaft 20 extends (Fig.4), and a pair of substantially parallel, resilient arms 24, each ofwhich terminates in a pin 25 that projects inwardly of the openingdefined by the yoke. These pins are substantially coaxial when the yokeis in operative engagement with instrument 12, as best shown in Fig. 2.The apparatus includes a pair of anti-friction ball bearings 26 and 27that are mounted on shaft 20 with yoke web 22 interposed therebetween.The bearings and yoke are maintained in the illustrated position on theshaft by a nut 28. These parts are so constructed and arranged that theyoke is freely pivotal about the axis of the shaft.

Instrument 12 is preferably an ultrasound transmitting device whichincludes a cylindrical case 30 having a rear end wall 31 and a front endwall 32. is of conventional construction and is adapted to be connectedby an electrical conductor cable 33 to an ultrasound generator (notshown).

This device The waves generated by the generator are transmitted throughfront end wall 32 of the device. The device is provided with a pair ofdiametrically opposed blind bores 34, each of which serves as an openingto receive a corresponding yoke pin 25. The connection formed by thesepins and the device permits pivotal movement of the device about thecommon axis of the pins. The axis of the pins is, as will be apparentfrom an examination of Fig. 2, substantially normal to the axis of shaft20. Thus, the coupling unit permits of pivotal movement of theinstrument about the axis of the shaft and also about the axis of thepins when the parts are assembled.

Due to the resilience of the yoke arms, the instrument may be readilyconnected to or disconnected from the yoke, as desired, without the useof tools. To disconnect the instrument, the arms are merely flexedoutwardly a sufiicient extent to disengage the pins from openings 34(Fig. 3).

From the foregoing, it is believed that the objects, advantages,construction, and operation of my present invention will be readilycomprehended by persons skilled in the art, without further description.Although the invention has been herein shown and described in a simpleand practicable form, it is recognized that certain parts or elementsthereof are representative of other parts or elements which may be usedin substantially the same manner to accomplish substantially the sameresults. Therefore, it is to be understood that the invention is not tobe limited to the exact details described herein, but is to be accordedthe full scope and protection of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In apparatus of the character described, a support comprising ahandle and a shaft carried by the handle, an ultrasound transmittingdevice, and a coupling unit comprising a generally U-shaped yokeincluding a web and a pair of resilient arms, said shaft being connectedto the web, said yoke being pivotal about the axis of the shaft, andmeans connecting the yoke to the device and permitting relative movementtherebetween about an axis that extends through the arms and that issubstantially normal to the axis of the'shaft.

2. In apparatus of the character described, a support comprising ahandle and a shaft carried by the handle, an ultrasound transmittingdevice, a coupling unit comprising a generally U-shaped yoke including aweb and a pair of resilient arms, a pair of anti-friction bearingsmounted on the shaft, said shaft extending through a portion of the webthat is interposed between the bearings, said shaft, bearings and yokebeing so constructed and arranged as to permit pivotal movement of theyoke about the axis of the shaft, and means connecting the yoke to thedevice and permitting relative movement therebetween about an axis thatextends through the arms and that is substantially normal to the axis ofthe shaft.

3. In apparatus of the character described, a support comprising ahandle and a shaft carried by the handle, an ultrasound transmittingdevice, and a coupling unit comprising a generally U-shaped yokeincluding a web and a pair of resilient arms, said shaft being connectedto the web, said yoke being pivotal about the axis of the shaft, andmeans connecting the yoke to the device, said means comprising a pair ofsubstantially coaxial pins, each pin being secured toa corresponding armand registering with a corresponding opening formed in the device, saiddevice being pivotal about the axis of the pins, the axis of the pinsbeing substantially normal to the axis of the shaft.

4. In apparatus of the character described, a support comprising ahandle and a shaft carried by the handle, an ultrasound transmittingdevice, a coupling unit comprising a generally U-shaped yoke including aweb and a pair of resilient arms, a pair of anti-friction bearingsmounted on the shaft, said shaft extending through a portion of the webthat is interposed between the bearings, said shaft, bearings and yokebeing so constructed and arranged as to permit pivotal movement of theyoke about the axis of the shaft, and means connecting the yoke to thedevice, said means comprising a pair of substantially coaxial pins, eachpin being secured to a corresponding arm and registering with acorresponding opening formed in the device, said device being pivotalabout the axis of the pins, the axis of the pins being substantiallynormal to the axis of the shaft.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,752,914 Pohlman July 3, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 728,367 France Apr. 11,1932 432,303 Italy July 24, 1947

